My Top 10 Albums from 2013 ... in No Particular Order ... !
God is An Astronaut --- Origins --- September 2013
Atmospheric as hellward soundscapes covered with floating guitar melodies and constantly shifting moods. These guys are the electronic version to most of our eighties / nineties post rock fix. And what a palette of mental colors this band illustrates with! Everything from bright copious amounts of stillness skies filled with hope and desire. Followed up with darker notes of caffeine worn off drift tones. Be ready for an avalanche of sorcerous songs that leave you plunged in deep unexpected stimulation.
The Ocean Collective --- Pelagial --- April 2013
Heavy, but not too heavy to burden the listener with monotony. This album was well paced, in fact it was a completely different pace compared to their previous volumes of music. Vocalist Loïc Rossetti shows off his rather aggressive but powerfully melodic tones. "How much control do we have over what we wish for?" Memorable lyrics, soaring guitars, thunderous drum work. Definitely the breath of fresh air we were all looking for after their -Centric album saga. I love how these guys are able to make WHOLE BODIES of music out of their discs, and not just track single after track single with zigzagging mood shifts. The Ocean manages to encapsulate its listener in a steady swim, gasping for air every now and then, but allowing them enough breathing room to dive back in for a more tremendous mental picture. Oh and cellos ... gaaaaaaaaaaah! ♥
Alice in Chains --- The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here --- May 2013
This right here ladies and gentlemen is my favorite album of 2013. I knew I was going to fall in love with this CD the moment I pressed play. Accidentally discovered this magnificent gem when I was visiting my old hometown library looking for some new music to motivate me. Alice in Chains is not only back in the game writing new music, but their new vocalist Jerry Cantrell has one of the sexiest and entrancing voices I have ever heard. Although highly sacrilegious, I would even go as far to say that his performance is by far more impressive than the late Layne Staley back in his prime. This album touches on a lot of topics that also fascinated me such as curiosity followed by rejection, surrealistic perception, and creationism versus evolutionism. Creative stuff. If you enjoyed Alice in Chains back in the day, I would highly recommend that you give this one a thorough listen, you won't be disappointed.
How to Destroy Angels --- Welcome Oblivion --- March 2013
There is definitely a huge love/hate relationship with me and this album. Mostly because I have to be in the correct "mood" to listen to such a sample-sound-laden-trip such as Welcome Oblivion. It plucks at the turmoils within your comfort zones of how music SHOULD sound like and what it SHOULD NOT. In one hand I'm very happy to find some industrial majesty that is capable of challenging my zones of regularity. Unfortunately this also triggers my sense of not really being interested in hearing particular songs because of that divergence from the norm. If I want a chaotic mess of an album to make me content in a drastic sort of way, I'll give this a couple turns without hesitation. Also the music video for "How Long?" is phenomenal.
Queens of the Stone Age --- ...Like Clockwork --- June 2013
It took me a VERY LONG time to fully appreciate and enjoy this album. I would consider myself a Queens of the Stone Age affiliate. Definitely one of my favorite stoner rock bands of all time. But wow did they hit a whole new level of bizarre with this rather brave release. Each song more diverse and peculiar than the next. A lot of my co-workers kept urging me to give the CD more attempts to appreciate the slower yet monumental stupor that creeps up on you with each listen. And indeed an appreciation was formed, probably because of the encouragement of my musical peers, which made me enjoy it EVEN more so. Yes the pacing of this album is by far more droning, drowning, and sludgey. But that's a good thing. And I'm glad that I was able to change my mind in such a short period of time!
Russian Circles --- Memorial --- October 2013
I'm addicted to these guys. Chicago-based instrumental prog. Heavy as hell especially with this recent release. And extremely atmospheric! (Man I use that word a lot) It's so easy for me to get lost while listening to a Russian album and Memorial is no exception. Most of this delivery comes from the very significant choice of CD cover art. You can feel the vastness of the sound hitting each frozen crag and bounding along the icy waters to the next crystalline formation with reverb. This band never fails to impress me. I had no idea which direction they were going to take this time around. And I'm doubly glad that such things were scattered in the wintry cold winds and replaced with pure soundscape bliss.
Dillinger Escape Plan --- One of Us is the Killer --- May 2013
I didn't explore the depth of this album until much more later in the year, literally towards to the end of 2013. It only surprised me even more when I discovered how fantastic, mature, and relevant the song writing had come over the band's rather sporadic history. This band is quite the enigma. One of Us ... is a delicate blend of mathcore madness topped with a bloody melodic dripping of heart guts from the vocals. Drums all over the place. Guitars all over the place. Bass all over the place. These guys are what I like to call the American rock version of Meshuggah. Just plain out explosive in sound, delivery, and mood. In this release, they're still just as hard hitting as they usually are but at the same time refined and more calculated with their chorus parts and shared momentary shouts. Not meant for the easy listener by any stretch, but at the same time approachable and fresh.
Wardruna --- Runaljod : Yggdrasil --- March 2013
My most anticipated album of 2013. Nordic dark folk + Ambient + Runic Symbolism = pure bliss. I've been following this duo ever since their fruition. Wardruna transcend regular music. Their discography covers the Nordic runes and interpretations of the elder futhark. Sung entirely in Norwegian and tribal prototypical Norwegian. All instruments are made from natural wild life products such as primitive deer-hide frame drums, the Kraviklyra, tagelharpe, mouth harp, goat horns, the lur and much, much more. Whilst also utilizing non-traditional instruments and other sources of sound like trees, rocks, water and torches. Although Yggdrasil does not retain the same elements of mystery and deep dark dirge that their debut album embarked so well on; it does take a rather naturalistic approach with melodic driven songs that involve a strong stir of rhythm and melodic undertones. Yggdrasil may lack the sense of adventure that its predecessor possessed but instead it hits the heart in a more inclusive environment rather one that of smog and disorder. Love these guys. Check them out if you haven't already.
Black Sabbath --- Thirteen --- June 2013
Funny story about me and Black Sabbath. I actually didn't get into / listen to the music of Black Sabbath until late 2013 and early 2014. I just never had the drive or interest to explore archaic heavy metal rock, regardless of how influential they were to my current musical interests. One of my supervisors at work handed me a good handful of their albums and with them came along the infamous "13". This dronerific example of post sludgey rock was right on target with how I expected the band to sound in the twenty-first century. Long encompassing songs with fulfilling lyrics. Ozzy actually sounding like old fashioned Ozzy (imagine that). And drummer Brad Wilk adding a much needed fuel to a cobwebbed genre. "13" impressed me when I wasn't expecting it to affect me whatsoever. Each song had its own wiry acid ridden structure that enveloped me within its storytelling collective. Best songs have to be the nostalgia invoking 'God is Dead?' and the relentless hard hitting "Dear Father" as a tremendous closer.
The Neighbourhood --- I Love You --- April 2013
Surprise! I actually really like and enjoy indie rock / pop. Call it a guilty pleasure of mine. The Neighbourhood's 2012 iconic release stirring the impressions and controversy of thousands of listeners from across the world. For me, it's just the dark gloomy tone of this entire LP from beginning to end. Very reminiscent of the more experimental phases of The Cardigans, Gotye, The Smiths, Wintersleep, and The Cranberries. "I Love You" has some really heavy hitting beats with bittersweet vocals wrapped around the harsh and unforgiving lyrics. If these guys continue down this musical pathway - I sincerely hope that they don't change a thing. I need more gloom-trip-hop creations like this more often!